William Percy French (May 1 1854–January 24 1920) was one of Ireland's foremost songwriters and entertainers in his day. In more recent times, he has become recognised for his watercolour painting.

Life

French was born at Cloonyquin House, near Elphin, County Roscommon, son of a landlord. He wrote his first successful song while studying at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 1877 for a "smoking concert". The song Abdul Abulbul Amir was sold for £5 to an unscrupulous publisher. The song later became hugely popular and was falsely claimed by other authors.

He graduated from TCD as a civil engineer in 1881 and joined the Board of Works in County Cavan as an Inspector of Drains. It is said that he wrote his best songs during this period. He also painted: he was a prolific painter of landscape watercolours and during this period considered art to be his true vocation. In fact, when he became well-known later in his life, his paintings from his time as a civil engineer became fashionable and sought after. (In recent times, artworks by French have increased in value; on 20 September, 2005 a Percy French watercolour "Where ever I go my heart turns back to the County Mayo" was sold by Dublin based auctioneers Whytes for a then world record price of €44,000 ^*.) When the Board reduced its staff around 1887, French turned to journalism as the editor of The Jarvey, a weekly comic paper.

When the paper failed, French's long and successful career as a songwriter and entertainer began. He became renowned for composing and singing comic songs and gained considerable distinction with such songs as Phil the Fluther's Ball, Slattery's Mounted Fut, and The Mountains of Mourne. But perhaps one of French's most famous songs is Are Ye Right There Michael, a song ridiculing the state of the rail system in rural County Clare. The song caused such embarrassment to the rail company that it led to a libel action against French, though this ultimately failed. (It is said that French arrived late for the libel hearing at the court, and when questioned by the judge on his lateness, he responded "Your honour, I travelled by the West Clare Railway," resulting in the case being thrown out.)

William Percy French died from pneumonia in 1920 at the age of 65. He was buried in Formby in Lancashire.

Song List

• Abdul Abulbul Amir, 1877
• Sweet Marie
• Rafferty's Racin' Mare
• The Hoodoo
• The Oklahoma Rose, 1910
• Phil the Fluther's Ball
• Come Back Paddy Reilly, 1912
• Slattery's Mounted Fut, 1889
• Andy McElroe, 1888
• Fighting McGuire
• The Girl on a Big Black Mare
• Mat Hannigan's Aunt, 1892
• Little Brigid Flynn
• Mick's Hotel
• The Mountains of Mourne, 1896
• When Erin Wakes, 1900
• McBreen's Heifer
• The Fortunes of Finnegan
• Mulligan's Masquerade
• The Night that Miss Cooney Eloped
• Drumcolligher
• Jim Wheelahan's Automobeel
• Are Ye Right There Michael?, 1897
• Eileen Oge (The Pride of Petravore)
• Donegan's Daughter
• Father O'Callaghan
• Maguire's Motor Bike
• Whistlin' Phil McHugh
• No More of Yer Golfin' for Me
• The Darlin' Girl from Clare
• Pretendy Land, 1907
• Mrs Brady
• Flaherty's Drake
• The Mary Ann McHugh
• The Kerry Courting, 1909
• A Sailor Courted a Farmer's Daughter
• Tullinahaw, 1910
• The Emigrants's Letter, 1910
• Kitty Gallagher
• Flanagan's Flying Machine, 1911
• Who said the Hook never Hurted the Worms?
• I Fought a Fierce Hyena
• The Killyran Wrackers, 1914
• Larry Mick McGarry, 1915

See also

• Music of Ireland
• Culture of Ireland

External links

• "The Songs of Percy French", by James N. Healy, Mercier Press, Dublin, 1983.
• Percy French's Ireland, a music collection sung by the Tenor Michael Lawlor Percy Frenchs Ireland

1854 births | 1920 deaths | Irish songwriters | Irish painters | People associated with Trinity College, Dublin | Natives of County Roscommon